The Sack of Thebes

The assassination of Suppiluliumas son frustrated
Dakhamuns hopes of retaining royal power, and the reigns of government
passed on to Tirhakas nephew, Tandamane.(1)
On Tanadamanes accession the Ethiopians renewed their drive to dominate
Egypt. Tandamane fortified Thebes and Heliopolis, and besieged the Assyrian
garrison of Memphis.

We know from Herodotus that Necho I, called by him Necos,
was killed by the Ethiopians after a very short reign.(2)
His son, a youth, escaped to Palestine and lived there in exile. But when
the Ethiopian departed by reason of what he saw in a dream, the Egyptians
of the province of Sais brought him [the son of Necho] back from Syria.

The Ethiopian left Egypt no so much because of a dream,
but because of Assurbanipal, who was marching against Egypt and Ethiopia
in all haste. Against Egypt and Ethiopia I waged bitter warfare
and established my might. This was the second campaign of Assurbanipal
against Egypt. Tandamane heard of the approach of my expedition
(only when) I had (already) set foot in Egyptian territory. The
Assyrian troops defeated him in a great open battle and scattered
his (armed) might. Tandamane abandoned Memphis, fled alone
and entered Thebes, his royal residence. But Assurbanipals
army followed in close pursuit. They marched after him, covering
a distance of one month in ten days on difficult roads as far as Thebes.
The Ethiopian did not risk another confrontation with Assurbanipal: He
saw my mighty battle array approaching, left Thebes, and fled to Kipkipi.
Never again did the Ethiopians transgress the frontier of the Sudan.

Thebes now lay prostrate before Assurbanipals troops
and was smashed (as if by) a floodstorm. Its chief citizens
were led into captivity. Isaiahs prophecy about Egypt was fulfilled:
So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian prisoners, and
the Ethiopian captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their
buttocks uncovered (20:4). Assurbanipal boasted of having carried
away inhabitants, male and female. Besides, he wrote, I
carried off from Thebes heavy booty, byoyond counting, and he listed
silver, gold, precious stones, fine horses; even two obelisks covered
with shining copper were pulled down and carted off to Assyria.
I made Egypt (Musur ) and Nubia ( Kush) feel
my weapons bitterly and celebrated my triumph. With full hands and safely
I returned to Nineveh. Many years later the prophet Nahum recalled
populous No (Thebes) that was situate among the rivers~.~.~ Ethiopia
and Egypt were her strength and it was infinite~.~.~. Yet was she carried
away, she went into captivity: her young children were dashed into pieces
at the top of all her streats: and they cast lots for her honorable men,
and her great men were bound in chains.

Seti-Psammetich, the young exile, returned to Egypt following
the chariot of Assurbanipal.

References

Assurbanipal calls him the son of his
[Tirhakas ] sister. See Luckenbill, Records of Assyria,
II.